1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mailboxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to mailboxes that reduce the amount of packaging material required to ship and store a plurality of mailboxes, thereby also reducing the overall volume of cargo containing such mailboxes, as well as the space required to display the mailboxes in a retail setting.
2. Description of Related Art
Mailboxes are commonly sold in a variety of outlets ranging from craft shops to department stores and home centers. When mailboxes are shipped to a retailer, they are usually boxed individually for display on the retailer's shelf. While mailboxes come in many sizes and shapes, they are often at least twenty inches long, eight inches high, and seven inches wide. With their bulky size, mailboxes rapidly take up cargo space during shipping and then use up valuable display space on retailers' shelves.
The prior art contains numerous examples of mailboxes having telescopic components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,992,640 to Steen discloses a telescopic mailbox that will extend to receive unusually long packages. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,781,964 to Ledgerwood discloses a mailbox having an inner sleeve that extends outward to reach a mail carrier sitting behind the wheel of an automobile. Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,600,143 and 5,009,366 to Harlow, Jr. et al. and van Druff, Jr. et al. respectively, show mailbox inserts for assisting in removing mail from the box.
However, the prior art still requires individual packaging of mailboxes. Accordingly, there remains room for improvement and variation within the art of mailboxes.